Instant lather heater and dispenser



Sept. 21, 1965 E. R. ROSS! 3,207,369

INSTANT LATHER HEATER AND DISPENSER Filed June 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. EMIL R. ROSSI sYgrqg/sajQ/ ATTORNEY p 21, 1965 E. R. Rossl3,207,369

INSTANT LATHER HEATER AND DISPENSER Filed June 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2C PRESSURE- INVENTOR.

EM IL R. ROSS] BY ATTORNEY United States Patent.

3,207,369 INSTANT LATHER HEATER AND DISPENSER Emil R. Rossi, Linden, NJ.(71 Windom Ave., Staten Island 5, N.Y.) Filed June 14, 1963, Ser. No.287,936 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-23) This invention relates to an instantlather heater and dispenser. More specifically, it deals with adispenser and heating device attachable to an aerosol lather container,and to the discharge outlet thereof, to preheat a dispensed portion ofsaid lather and to discharge the heated lather for application to theskin to be shaved.

Present aerosol dispensers of shaving lather discharge a cold stream ofsoap lather which, particularly on a winter day, not only isuncomfortable, but also is slow in softening the beard for the shavingoperation. Aerosol lather heaters have been disclosed in the art whichdispense the lather directly through a heated tube. These are not onlywasteful of lather (each dispensing of which loses a tubeful), but theydepend on can pressure for operation, and also offer difficulties incleaning of the unit.

According to the present invention, a lather heater is provided which isindependent of can pressure for dispensing and which enables one todischarge, from an aerosol container, a predetermined volume of latherinto a col lapsible chamber. Thereafter, by a simple squeezing of thecollapsible wall of the chamber, or by the opening of a discharge valveof the unit, and simultaneous actuation of a heater switch by the samehand, it is possible to discharge the dispensed volume of lather throughan instantly-heated tube, and onto the other hand for application to theface. i

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment is described, andin which FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective side view of a lather heaterof the present invention, as applied to an aerosol shave lather can,ready for use. A similar view of the unit, as used in dispensing theheated lather, is shown in FIGURE 2. Another similar view, partly incross-section, of the lather heater, disclosed in FIGURES 1 and 2, isdepicted in FIGURE 3. A perspective front view of a different embodimentof the invention, partly cut away, is depicted in FIGURE 4, While FIGUREpresents a diagrammatic cross-sectional view thereof with an electricalcircuit to illustrate the operation of the unit. FIGURE 6 illustratesthe unit shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 in dispensing operation. parts in thevarious figures.

Referring again to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 13, numeral5 designates, generally, an aerosol can designed to dispense a shavinglather, and having dispensing valve 6 and outlet nipple 7 for dischargetherethrough of the lather. Attachable to the side of can 5 by clamp 8is the lather heating unit of the present invention, designatedgenerally by the numeral 9.

The heater device 9 of the present invention comprises a flexibleplastic tube 10 having an end 11 connectable, in sealing relation to theoutside, to outlet 7 of can 5. This tube 10 connects at its other endwith collapsible chamber 12, which also is preferably made of soft clearor transparent plastic, and is preferably in the shape of a sphere orbellows. Chamber 12 has an outlet end 12, which may be threaded on theoutside with threads 13 which engage inner threads 14 inside of heatertube 15. The lather tube is made of heat-resistant material, preferablya boro-silicate glass or porcelain, or high temperature-resistant epoxyor phenol-formaldehyde resin. Heater tube 15 has a lower portion 16curved forwardly so as to discharge the lather conveniently into a hand47 held at its outlet 16'.

Similar numerals refer to similar 3,Z7,369 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 SeeAt the bottom of the curved portion of tube 15 is a threaded hole 17into which is screwed porcelain or plastic insulating insert 18 havingtwo vertical holes 19 and 20. Inserted, in cemented relation into theupper portions of holes 19 and 20, are the ends 21 and 22 of loopimmersion heater element 23 which projects into the vertical portion ofheater tube 15 when insert 18 is screwed into hole 17. Switch pushbutton 24, made of insulating plastic, has attached metal projections 25and 26 which fit into holes 19 and 20, but are normally out of contactwith heater element ends 21 and 22, being kept this way by the action ofleaf spring 27. Housing 28 holds button 24 in its hole 29, and is heldto the heater tube end by screws 30 and 31, the latter screw alsoserving as an anchorage for the end of spring 27. Electrical wires 32and 33 connecting contact prongs 25 and 26 within button 24, are led asa cord 35 out of hole 34 in housing 24.

Cord 35 may be connected to a transformer or resistance 36 which maycarry a warm-hot switch 37, leading to plug 38 for connection with thehouse current. Or, alternately, cord 35 may be connected with a battery39 clamped by clamp 40. onto the side of can 5. Since the current drainis for a very short period during the day, even though at full power,the amount of drain on the battery is not excessive, so that a longbattery life is insured. The heater loop element 23 is of the highcurrent capacity type which is instantly heated to a temperatureadequate to immediately heat the foam passing through tube 15 to thedesired shaving temperature.

The entire tube 15, except for its outlet 16 and switch housing 28 andbutton 24, is coated with a waterproof insulating material 41,preferably of foamed plastic, or similar material.

When in use, the can 5 with attached lather heater 9, is grasped as inFIGURE 1 in one hand 42, and container valve 6 is pressed so as topermit lather foam to pass through tube 10 and into chamber 12. Whenenough lather is contained in chamber 12 (as is visible through thetransparent or translucent wall thereof), pressure is removed from canvalve 6, and the lather heater 9 then is grasped as in FIGURE 2, withthumb 43 on switch button 24 and, with the index and middle fingers44-45 straddling tube 10, pressure is applied on both thumb and fingers,which action causes the heater element 23 to heat up rapidly, and thechamber 12 to be collapsed so that foam lather 46 therein is dischargedthrough heater tube 15, past, and in contact with heater element 23, andout through discharge outlet 16', onto the other hand 47, forapplication to the face. When the hand 42 is removed from the unit, theheat is automatically cut oif, and lather heater 9 is again ready foruse.

As is apparent from the foregoing, an instantly-heated lather is madereadily available for use. Collapsing chamber 12 one or two additionaltimes, permits entry of air and clearing out of the remaining portionsof lather in both chamber 12 and heater tube 15, so that very littlelather is wasted.

In FIGURES 46, there is disclosed a unit housed in a plastic case 50,said case having a removable section 51 to enable insertion, within theunit, of an aerosol shaving lather container 5'. Although a number oftypes of containers may be adapted for this use, the one describedherein, as shown in greater detail in FIGURE 5, has the pressurizedlather composition 52 enclosed in container 5, the outlet 54 of which issealed from the inside with plastic plug 53. Outlet 54 of the container(FIG. 4) is screwed into opening 55 of discharge block 56 in outsidesealing relation therewith. Centrally-disposed in opening 55, is thrustpin 57 which serves to eject plug 53, as can outlet 54 is screwed intoopening 55.

Discharge block 56 has channel 58 connecting with opening 55, and inthis channel is mounted loop immersion heater 23 designed to heat up thelather instantaneously when switched on. Discharge block 56 terminateswith discharge opening 59 into which may be screwed discharge tip 60(FIG. 6). Discharge opening 59 is pro vided with valve 61 having shaft62 leading to springloaded handle 63, which is designed to open valve 61by finger pressure, and be closed, upon release of finger pressure, byleafspring 64. When aerosol can is screwed into block opening 55, theentire block interior remains under can pressure when valve 61 isclosed. Block 56 is mounted on plate 65 of housing 50 by screws 66.

As can be seen from FIGURE 5, a thermostat 67 is connected through line68 with signal light 69, so that, when thermostat switch 67 closes atthe set temperature, light 69 will ignite and stay lit as long as fingerswitch 70 is closed (assuming plug 71 is inserted in an electricalsource). A resistance 71 is provided in circuit 72 to regulate the heatdeveloped in heating coil 23.

In operation, after can 5' is screwed into opening 55 of block 56, andvalve 61 is (normally) closed, when lather is required, switch 70 isfirst pressed with the finger. This closes circuit 72 and permits heater23 to heat up to the desired temperature (as set by resistance 71). Whenthis temperature is reached (say 150 F.), thermostat switch 67' closesand light 69 goes on, which is the signal that the unit is ready fordispensing. Thereafter, valve handle 63 is pressed down with the samefinger, if desired,-which action opens valve 61 and allows flow ofpreheated lather 73 (FIG. 6) on to the other hand.

Indicating light 74 on resistance unit 36 (FIG. 3) is connected in amanner such that when knob 37 is turned left to the off position, light74 is turned off, and, turning knob to the right thereafter results inlighting light 74.

I claim:

1. A lather heater and dispenser attachable to the outlet nipple of apressurized lather-dispensing container provided with an outlet pluginwardly of said nipple, comprising, in combination,

a discharge conduit connectable in outside-sealing relation with anoutlet nipple of a pressurized lather container and having containerplug removal means located in said conduit so as to extend into saidoutlet nipple to remove said plug upon connection of said conduit tosaid nipple to maintain in open condition a container after connectionof said conduit with said pressurized container outlet nipple,

a heater element disposed in said conduit, and

a valved discharge outlet in said conduit designed to maintain conduitunder container pressure until said valved discharge is opened.

2. A lather heater and dispenser attachable to the outlet nipple of aninverted pressurized lather-dispensing container provided with a ventingmeans, comprising, in combination,

a housing,

a discharge conduit mounted in said housing and connectable inoutside-sealing relation with an outlet nipple of a pressurized lathercontainer,

a heater element disposed in said conduit,

a thermostat mounted in said conduit and connected with a signal deviceto signal when the set temperature of said thermostat is reached,

a switch mounted on said housing and connectable to an electrical sourceand to said heater element and to said thermostat in a manner such that,when the switch is closed, the heater element becomes heated and thethermostat signal is given when the set temperature in the conduit isreached,

a thrust pin mounted in said conduit in register with a containerventing means in a manner such that when a container is connected inoutside-sealing relation in said conduit, said pin Would release saidventing means whereby container contents would be permitted to passfreely under pressure into said conduit, and

a valved discharge in said housing designed to maintain said conduitunder container pressure and to discharge heated lather when the valveis opened after the thermostat switch signal is given.

3. A lather heater and dispenser attachable to the outlet nipple of apressurized lather container, comprising, in combination,

a flexible tube having one end attachable to an outlet nipple of saidpressurized lather container,

a collapsible container made of material through which lather is visibleand attached to the other end of said tube, and having an outlet, anddesigned to eject its contents upon being squeezed,

a heat-resistant tube having one end attached to said chamber outlet andhaving a forwardly-bent lower portion,

a heater element disposed in said tube bend,

a finger actuatable electric switch mounted below said tube bend anddesigned to permit current to pass from a lead through said heatingelement, and

attaching means on said tube and designed for attachment to saidpressurized lather container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 920,250 4/09Blakeslee 222-214 X 1,480,324 1/24 Wilson 239-132 1,764,387 6/30 Buchet239-133 1,937,294 11/33 Post.

1,944,108 l/34 Robinson 239135 X 2,068,205 1/37 Steckel et a1 2391333,098,925 7/63 Fouts et al. 21939.3 3,134,191 5/64 Davis 222-146 XRAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

1. A LATHER HEATER AND DISPENSER ATTACHABLE TO THE OUTLET NIPPLE OF APRESSURIZED LATHER-DISPENSING CONTAINER PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLET PLUTINWARDLY OF SAID NIPPLE, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A DISCHARGE CONDUITCONNECTABLE IN OUTSIDE-SEALING RELATION WITH AN OUTLET NIPPLE OF APRESSURIZED LATHER CONTAINER AND HAVING CONTAINER PLUG REMOVAL MEANSLOCATED IN SAID CONDUIT SO AS TO EXTEND INTO SAID OUTLET NIPPLE TOREMOVE SAID PLUG UPON CONNECTION OF SAID CONDUIT TO SAID NIPPLE TOMAINTAIN IN OPEN CONDITION A CONTAINER AFTER CONNECTION OF SAID CONDUITWITH SAID PRESSURIZED CONTAINER OUTLET NIPPLE, A HEATER ELEMENT DISPOSEDIN SAID CONDUIT, AND A VALVED DISCHARGE OUTLET IN SAID CONDUIT DESIGNEDTO MAINTAIN CONDUIT UNDER CONTAINER PRESSURE UNTIL SAID VALVED DISCHARGEIS OPENED.